PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Safety Program for Mature Drivers offered in Third Municipal District

Released On 07/30/2002

Alsip, IL (8-13-02) - The Circuit Court of Cook County presented the Drive Wise, Stay Alive Mature Driver Program to a group of seniors in Alsip today. The program is designed to help seniors continue to be safe drivers and to inform them of available community resources.

Explaining the purpose of the Drive Wise, Stay Alive Mature Driver Program, Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said, "Programs such as this help guarantee that senior citizens on the road have the latest information that will help them to continue to practice traffic safety. The judges of the Circuit Court want to ensure that seniors have an understanding of how medical conditions can affect their ability to be safe drivers."

Judge David Sterba, Chairperson of the Fifth Municipal District's Circuit Court of Cook County Community Safety Initiative, said, "Due to the increasing number of senior drivers, we feel it necessary to provide them with safe driving information that meets their needs."

Robin Mazzuca, a registered nurse and injury prevention instructor, presented the Drive Wise, Stay Alive Mature Driver Program to more than 100 seniors at the Worth Township Offices located at 11601 S. Pulaski Road in Alsip. Included in the presentation was the TAKE CARE (Thoughtful Adults Keep Enlightened) Program, which addresses the safety-related needs of mature adults. It focuses on interaction of prescription and non-prescription medication, alcohol use and abuse, doctor/patient relationships, drinking and driving, seatbelt use, and pedestrian safety.

The event was co-sponsored by Worth Township the Circuit Court of Cook County which receives grant funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Traffic Safety.

For more information, or to schedule participation in the Drive Wise, Stay Alive Mature Driver Program, senior citizen groups are encouraged to call the Circuit Court of Cook County's Chicago Traffic Center at (312) 603-2600.